Ed Stephenson, the Binghamton men's lacrosse coach since
the team's inception, says the university's suspension of three
players involved in an alleged fight was unfair, according to an
email obtained by the Press & Sun-Bulletin.

Binghamton University men's lacrosse coach Ed Stephenson has
resigned in protest of disciplinary action taken against three of
his players, according to a report by the Press &
Sun-Bulletin.

"We appreciate his contributions to our men's lacrosse program
and we wish him well in his future endeavors," a university
statement said Saturday. "Kevin McKeown will step in as interim
head coach, and we are confident that he will provide strong
leadership to our team."

McKeown, a former Binghamton All-American, was in his third
season as an assistant coach under Stephenson, a veteran coach who
has been with the program since its inception. Stephenson was the
2004 America East Coach of the Year.

In an email addressed to players, coaches and others connected
with the team and obtained by the Press & Sun-Bulletin,
Stephenson wrote that three unidentified players were suspended
after they were allegedly in a fight with a fourth unidentified
individual, a former wrestler. One of the suspended players,
Stephenson wrote, was involved only in breaking up the fight.

"The students were formally suspended from the athletic program
as soon as athletic department staff and coaches were made aware of
this incident," BU spokeswoman Gail Glover told the Press &
Sun-Bulletin. "Behavioral issues are dealt with swiftly and
appropriately."

According to the report, Stephenson wrote that the suspended
players "are getting biased treatment from our administration. They
should be punished based on the facts, and this was not a gang
attack."

Two of the players were starters, he wrote.

The report also indicated that Stephenson believes the
disciplinary actions were taken by the university to prevent the
media from learning about the incident, because it could serve as a
reminder of the Miladin Kovacevic case. Kovacevic, a former
Binghamton basketball player, is serving a two-year jail sentence
in his native Bosnia for the severe beating of another university
student.

"They have become so scared of the media that they will not act
fairly with regard to the student athletes' judicial cases,"
Stephenson wrote in the email.

A Facebook page titled "Binghamton University Justice for Student
Athletes" has been established by Steve Donigan, the
father of freshman attackman Kelly Donigan and junior faceoff
specialist Jeff Donigan. Under its basic information tab, the page
calls for "due process for student-athletes" and in its description
says "interim athletic director James Norris has cowardly refused
to allow due process for student-athletes for fear of the
press...his past poor decisions and lack of judgment becoming a
public discussion once again."

Binghamton (4-3) has won four straight games. The Bearcats play
Tuesday at Siena.